The White Shark Trust Field Research Assistantship is proud to introduce you to our assistants:

Darren John HUNNIFORD (Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales) and Chris MILNES (Grantham, Lincolnshire, England)

Darren decided to extend his stay with the White Shark Trust for another two weeks, and Chris is a come-back guest of the Trust...

On the 1st of January 2004, we welcomed three new assistants:

Adam Nicholas SANDERSON (Ashby de-la Zouch, Leicestershire, England)

Emma Louise BARKER (Beckenham, Kent, England)

and Helen Clare JOHNSTON (Grassendale, Liverpool, England).
On Friday the 2nd of January 2004, we welcomed a new group of assistants... Tracey, Darren and Chris were still in Cape Town.

Today was an introduction day for Emma, Helen and Adam... and what a day! 10 different White Sharks! One of the Sharks measured close to four meters, and another Shark had a satellite tag! Lucky!!!
As you can see on these pictures, the killer "Natural Contraceptive Glasses" are loved by the new guys! Everyone was fighting to wear these sexy glasses throughout the day!

Not many Shark pictures today as I had to handle the bait most of the day to train our new assistants...
On Saturday the 3rd of January 2004, we welcomed back James Kirby for a last day with the Sharks... A very windy and choppy day at sea... After a brief visit of Common and humpback Dolphins, we had 10 different White Sharks today... Unfortunately, none of the Sharks wanted to stay around the boat for long...
An exhausted Cormorant was swimming around the boat and was quite happy to come on board Lamnidae... An epidemy of Avian Cholera is killing hundreds of Cormorants on Dyer Island at the moment... This Cormorant was very happy to be out of the Sharky waters... and rested (dried) for a good hour on the boat before leaving by himself, hoping into the water from the back of the boat...
Let's just hope that the strong southeasterly winds will lessen during the night... or the sea might be too rough to handle! One last group pictures of the present and past group together in the harbour of Kleinbaai in front of our research vessel...

Another sad day as we wished farewell to our friend James... but he will be back sometimes!
On the 1st of January 2004, we also celebrated the second anniversary of the White Shark Trust Field Research Assistantship program... Two years already since our first research assistants joined us! Lots of wonderful memories and amazing experiences! And many very good friends, whom we miss very much!